On the Hill Spring 2020 • Vol. 59:2 Saint Meinrad takes precautions amid COVID-19 Reunion events finalized Cover: Fr. Christian Raab, OSB, leads seminarians on a pilgrimage to Monte Cassino Shrine to pray for those affected by the coronavirus on March 13, 2020. Seminarians made a similar pilgrimage in 1871 when smallpox threatened the community. On the Hill Spring 2020 • Vol. 59:2 FEATURES 2-3 . .Monastery News 4 . .New Books 5 . .Monks’ Personals 6-7 . .Martin Marty 8 . .Celibacy Formation ALUMNI 9 . .Alumni Reunion 2020 10-11 . .Distinguished Alumnus 12 . .Student Profile 14-15 . .Alumni Eternal and News 16 . .Alumni Board Slate On the Hill is published four times a year by Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary and School of Theology. The newsletter is also available online at: www.saintmeinrad.edu/onthehill Editor: . .Mary Jeanne Schumacher Copywriters: . .Krista Hall & Tammy Schuetter Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB, lights the incense before seminary Send changes of address and comments to: The Editor, The Development Office, Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary & School of Theology, Mass in St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel on the Feast of the 200 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, IN 47577, (812) 357-6501 • Fax (812) 357-6759, [email protected] Presentation of the Lord. www.saintmeinrad.edu, © 2020, Saint Meinrad Archabbey Find more photos at http://saint-meinrad.smugmug.com. Saint Meinrad takes precautions amid COVID-19 pandemic The Saint Meinrad campus is quieter than are able to offer our seminarians,” regret having to close our place of prayer it usually is this time of the year. As the explains Fr. Denis. “We here at Saint to the public, we assure all of our COVID-19 virus continues to spread and Meinrad remain united to our dioceses continued prayers for their health and affect people around the country and and religious communities in prayerful well-being.” world, Saint Meinrad is taking precautions. support during this difficult time.” Saint Meinrad has canceled all public On March 17, 2020, Fr. Denis Robinson, On the same day, Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, events, retreats and tours until further OSB, president-rector of the Seminary OSB, announced that the Archabbey notice. The Archabbey Guest House, Gift and School of Theology, announced that Church is closed for public prayer until Shop and Scholar Shop are also closed. the seminarians would return to their further notice. This decision follows the dioceses and religious communities, and directives of Archbishop Charles “If there is a positive outcome to this classes would be completed online for the Thompson, leader of the Archdiocese of crisis, let us hope that it will be in the vast rest of the spring semester. Indianapolis, in which the Archabbey is outpouring of charity and love on the part located. In his statement, Thompson of many in our community,” says Fr. Students who cannot return home at this noted that public celebrations of the Mass Denis. “I have stressed with our time, such as international students, will in Indiana were suspended until further seminarians that, as they leave Saint remain on campus in a cloistered area as notice. Meinrad, they go as ambassadors and long as necessary. servants of the Church. I know these men, “The monastic community will remain and I know their quality.” “This is a difficult decision, especially as faithful to our commitment to daily it affects the quality of formation that we prayer,” said Archabbot Kurt. “While we 2 Monastery News Br. Michael Reyes professes temporary vows at Saint Meinrad Novice Dennis a master’s degree in music composition descent and one of two composers based Reyes professed and theory from the University of in the United States to receive that year’s his temporary Nevada. He received a Doctor of Musical honor. vows as a Arts in composition from the University Benedictine of Illinois in May 2019. Reyes received the President’s Research monk in a in Diversity Travel Award from the ceremony on His work has received numerous awards University of Illinois, an award bestowed January 20, 2020, in international competitions and concerts by the university president to 15 high- at Saint Meinrad by juries comprised of experts in the performing faculty and graduate students Archabbey. field. In 2016, he won the grand prize at across the three campuses of the Br. Michael Reyes the 6th Sond’Ar-te Electric Ensemble university conducting research in their He has completed Composition Competition, where he respective fields. his novitiate, a year of prayer and study bested composers from 18 countries. of the Benedictine way of life. As is the Most recently, his home parish was St. custom during the profession of vows, he He is also one of five composers from John’s Catholic Newman Center in chose a religious name. Novice Dennis is around the world to be invited by the Champaign, IL. now Br. Michael. University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies to write a Temporary vows are typically for three Br. Michael, 43, is a native of Manila, new electroacoustic piece for its annual years. This period offers a continuing Philippines. He is studying for the Composer’s Conference and Festival. opportunity for the monk and the priesthood at Saint Meinrad Seminary monastic community to determine and School of Theology. He also participated in the International whether monastic life is, indeed, the right Electroacoustic Music Festival hosted by vocation for this individual. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. from the University of the Philippines and Reyes was the only composer of Asian Novice Simon Holden joins monastery In a brief He earned a bachelor’s degree in music may be permitted to profess temporary ceremony, from the University of Louisville in 2019. vows of obedience, fidelity to the Novice Simon As a student, he was also a music theory monastic way of life and stability in the Holden was and music history tutor. community of Saint Meinrad. clothed in the Benedictine habit He is the son of Katrin and Roger Holden at Saint Meinrad of Frankfort, KY, and attended Western Archabbey on Hills High School in Frankfort. Most January 19, 2020. recently, his home parish was St. Leo He begins a year Parish in Versailles, KY, where he was a Novice Simon Holden of monastic volunteer in the parish’s Alpha program. formation, Order your CareNotes today! including study of the Rule of St. Benedict As a novice, he takes a year off from and monastic history. formal studies and trades. The novitiate is For info or to order: a time of prayer and learning intended to Call us at 1-800-325-2511 Novice Simon, 23, is a native of help a novice discern his vocation as a Lexington, KY. monk. At the end of this year, a novice or visit www.carenotes.com. 3 Events on the Hill Book exploring Carmelite spirituality published May 1-3 Guest House Retreat: “Contemplative Fr. Mark O’Keefe, lives of these saints: the events that shaped Christianity” by Fr. Adrian Burke, OSB, published a their writings, their lives, and the Carmelite OSB. book in February on reform they initiated. May 15-17 the lives of Carmelite reformers St. Teresa Fr. Mark is professor of moral theology at Guest House Retreat: “Way Stations of Ávila and St. John Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of and Homecomings of Forgiveness” by of the Cross. In Theology. He also serves as chaplain-in- Fr. Colman Grabert, OSB. Context: Teresa of residence to the Discalced Carmelite nuns in June 14 Ávila, John of the Terre Haute, IN. He is the author of 11 Cross, and Their books on Christian ethics, the priesthood The Einsiedeln Society annual dinner. World explores the and Carmelite spirituality. June 16-18 social, cultural, intellectual, and religious themes that prevailed in 16th-century The book is available through the publisher Guest House Retreat: “Peace, The Spain, the time in which St. Teresa of Ávila (https://www.icspublications.org/), on Benedictine Way” by Br. Maurus and St. John of the Cross lived. amazon.com, and at Saint Meinrad’s Zoeller, OSB. bookstore, The Scholar Shop. June 19-25 The book is not only a thematic overview, but also visits particular situations in the Guest House Retreat: “The Image as a Window to the Spiritual: An Artist’s Six-Day Hands-On Workshop and Retreat” by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB, and Br. Michael Moran, CP. New book June 26-28 aims to strengthen Church Guest House Retreat: “The Ghent Altarpiece” by Fr. Noël Mueller, OSB. We Will Serve the reforms for a new generation, the domestic Lord, Prayers and church must be strengthened and July 10-12 Blessings for the encouraged. Domestic Church was Guest House Retreat: “A Step 11 co-authored by Fr. Fr. Denis has served as president-rector of Retreat for Recovering Alcoholics and Denis Robinson, the Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Alanons” by Dave Maloney and team. OSB, and Agnes M. Theology since 2008. He is also associate July 17-19 Kovacs. It was professor of systematic theology in the released in January. school and a chaplain for Monastery Guest House Retreat: “The ‘Little Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, IN. Rule’ of St. Benedict and the ‘Little According to the Way’ of St. Thérèse” by Fr. Meinrad authors, what is done in the home can lead Kovacs serves as assistant director of Brune, OSB. to a deeper recognition of God’s presence Graduate Theology Programs and director throughout the day. God is in the home, the of continuing formation at Saint Meinrad July 20-24 neighborhood, the school and the Seminary and School of Theology.